


Dean Braves the Hallmark Store

by Desirae



Series: After the Darkness [6]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Canon Divergent, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Fluff, M/M, Valentine's Day, post s10
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-17 22:31:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13668657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Desirae/pseuds/Desirae
Summary: It's the day before Valentine's Day. On the way back home from a salt and burn, Team Free Will makes a pit stop at an outlet mall, and Dean braves the Hallmark Store.





	Dean Braves the Hallmark Store

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! This is my contribution to the Destiel Valentine's Day mini-bang. Thank you to my teapot, Bekki, for helping this make sense<3  
> This story is part of the After the Darkness verse but can be read as a stand-alone. Hope you enjoy, and happy Unattached drifter's Christmas <3

 

 

                                          

 

 

“This is so stupid,” Dean muttered to himself as he stood in front of the red and pink Valentine's Day display.  He could do this. He was man enough to brave the Hallmark store.  Large hearts featuring diapered cherubs- _Ha, if only,_ heart-tipped arrows nocked and ready to fly at unsuspecting customers.

None of the cards seemed to say what he wanted to say. They were too flowery, too poetic. Why couldn’t there be a card that said _I love you more than pie_?

Alright, he could definitely do better than that, but honestly, what do you say to a former angel of the Lord who gave up immortality just to be with you? Dean was pretty sure that Castiel cornered the market of grand loving gestures.

Dean wasn’t really worried. Cas knew he loved him. How could he not? After the fall of the darkness and their subsequent coming together, Dean had not hidden his affection. It was like once the wall was down, there was no stopping the overflow of emotion expressed, though mostly in actions more than words. Dean did not hesitate to hold Castiel’s hand in public, to wrap his arms around him from behind, hooking a chin over the former angel’s shoulder. Dean kissed, nuzzled, embraced with an unbridled joy that he had once never thought possible. These were things he did every day now.

Dean didn’t like the pressure that Valentine’s Day was putting on him to wrap all of these acts he already did in a pretty little heart-shaped box.  

He moved down the aisle and stopped at the cards that were blank inside and he gave a little snort of derision. 4.99 for a picture of a vase filled with roses and nothing on the inside. People were dumb. Dean glanced down at his watch. 5:30. He figured he had about fifteen more minutes before Sam and Cas came looking for him.

They were passing through Colorado, having just finished up a massive salt and burn at the Pine Hollow Nursing & Rehabilitation center in Utah the day before. Accidents had been known to plague the former sanatorium turned nursing home, but it wasn’t until recently that they had resulted in a death. According to witnesses, dietary aide Jean Barry broke her neck after being scared down a flight of stairs, screaming about a ghost and tripping at the top of the landing. Turned out that the newest resident to the facility had been a former doctor of the institution, rumored to have abused patients. Those still left behind wanted payback, and unfortunately Jean had just been at the wrong place at the wrong time as not only was she scared into her death fall, but seventy-three-year-old Dr. Thomas Warren died of cardiac arrest brought on by the shock of seeing his former victims. Most of those who had died on the grounds had been cremated, as the state was paying and it was cheaper. The majority of the patrons of the ward had no family who was actively involved, many just being deposited there and left behind. Unless you were rich, a proper burial was rare. Luckily, the Alton sisters came from a wealthy family and were buried in the on-site cemetery. Dean wished all cases could be that simple.

On the way back to Kansas, they decided to make a detour when they saw signs for the local outlet mall. There was a Cheesecake Factory that made Castiel’s eyes light up, so Dean knew where they were having dinner. But the main stop was the Best Buy because Sam wanted to stock up on chargers and Cas needed a new laptop case. Dean had left them to it and wandered off on his own with strict warnings to not hit the _Cinnabon_ and ruin his appetite.

Another reason why he was standing in the middle of the Hallmark, with a growling stomach and panic starting to settle in. Valentine’s Day was only a day away, most of which would be spent in the car.

The car.

A smile stole across his face as he spied the keychain section. Dean’s grin only grew wider when he came across a bumblebee keychain. He’d been meaning to give Cas his own key to the Impala for awhile now; a spare had been sitting in his wallet for that very purpose. Cas had driven her before, but not without having to borrow a key from him or Sam first. Dean thought that giving Castiel his own key would show that Dean really meant it when he told Cas that everything he had, belonged to him.

Dean carried the keychain up to the register and was greeted by a young girl, _Molly_ according to her name tag, who looked entirely too happy to be there on a Tuesday afternoon.

“Hi there, did you find everything you needed today?” her voice chirped at him and Dean nodded.

“Yeah, thanks.”

“This is cute. Did you want it engraved? We’re having a sale, twenty-five cents per character. Spencer can have it done for you in a jiffy?” The young girl's brown eyes sparkled as she nodded towards a tall, gangly teen at the other end of the counter.

“Really?” Dean asked and the teen bobbed his head awkwardly, coming over with a sheet of paper.

“Just fill this out with what you want it to say, and check off the font you want.”

Dean looked over his shoulder, and saw no sign of Cas or Sam. Dean took the pen that was being held out to him and went with a simple: _Dean + Castiel always_  in italicized Ariel script.  

Dean fidgeted as he anxiously waited, hoping to not get caught doing some so uncharacteristically sappy. No more Unattached drifter Christmas for Dean Winchester. Not that he would miss it. Trading in meaningless one night stands for the unconditional love and intimacy he shared with Cas was in no way tempting. No, his best friend and lover was stuck with him for life and beyond.

Spencer was quick with his work and Dean thanked him sincerely as he was rung up. Dean left the store and had just made his way to the Best Buy entrance when Sam and Castiel came out of the store. Castiel immediately came over to Dean, wrapping his arms low around his waist, and tipped his head, angling for a kiss. Dean hummed into it.

“Miss me?” he asked with a laugh and Castiel’s nose crinkled as he smiled up at him.

“Always,” was the answer, sandpaper tone making Dean warm inside. Sam gave him a look that could only be described as fond amusement before heading off towards where the restaurant was.

 

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

 

It was getting close to 1:30 am when Dean started to yawn continuously. Sam was stretched out asleep in the backseat, asleep, while he drove. Castiel’s fingers were laced with Dean’s on his thigh, as he watched an episode of _Shadowhunters_ on his phone. Dean had Claire to thank for that. Jody had snickered at him when he’d bitched to her about it, just happy to have someone else to commiserate with.

He was getting too old for this all night driving. His back was getting tight and Dean was pretty sure his left butt cheek was asleep.  After another jaw-cracking yawn, Castiel turned to him.

“Would you like me to drive, Dean?”

Dean glanced over at Cas with a teasing smile. “Is your episode over yet?”

Castiel rolled his eyes. “It’ll keep. Come on, there’s a rest area up ahead. Pull over.”

Dean drove the quarter of a mile before pulling off of the highway and entering the small rest stop, putting Baby in park. There was a closed information center, vending machines, a few picnic tables, and public restrooms. Sam kept snoring away as Dean and Castiel left the car, to cross in the front. Castiel stood in the beam of a headlight, head cocked in his usual bird-like pose when instead of continuing around, Dean stopped in front of him. _It was technically Valentine's Day already, so why not?_ Dean reached into his pocket feeling where the bumblebee keychain, with the key attached, had been hiding all night. Dean moved forward into the light towards Cas, and his angel looked at him curiously. Dean brought his free hand up, cupping the side of Cas’ face. His thumb brushed Castiel’s plush bottom lip before he tilted Cas' chin up. Dean leaned in and stole a soft kiss, hand now sliding out of his pocket to snake in under Cas’ trench coat. His fist clenched around the keychain as he curled his arm around Cas’ waist, tugging him in closer.

The air was cold, and Dean thought he could smell snow coming. A breeze kicked up, ruffling Cas’ dark hair, and Dean could smell the citrus of his shampoo mixed with the earthy scent that always seemed to be a part of him. Dean felt more than heard Cas sigh into the kiss as his hands tugged at the edges of Dean's leather jacket. Lips parted as their tongues tangled in a well-choreographed dance. When air became an issue Dean pulled back, not aware that his eyes were still closed until Cas chuckled.

“Where did that come from?” Cas asked him softly, his expression pleased.

Dean cleared his throat and pulled his arm out from Castiel’s coat, brandishing his closed fist. “Open your hand.”

Castiel looked at him quizzically but did as asked. Dean gently placed the gift in his hand with a whispered, “Happy Valentines’ Day.”

In the glow of the headlights, Cas’ eyes shined in gleeful surprise. He held up the pewter bumblebee, smiling at the detailed lines and gasped when he turned it over, seeing the inscription. Dean saw his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed hard.

“Thank you, Dean,” Castiel said, gravelly voice catching with emotion. Cas wrapped his arms around Dean, cold nose buried in the crook of his neck. Dean clutched him back, his _you're_ _welcome_ , gruff.

“I have your gift back in the bunker. Would you like to know what it is?” Castiel asked, breath warm against the skin of Dean's neck.

“Nah,” Dean said, as the broke apart to get back in the car. “I’ll wait and be surprised.”

They settled back in the warmth of the car, and Dean gave his brother an affectionate smile, as Sam was still snoring lightly in the back. Castiel put on his seatbelt and adjusted his mirror, before taking Dean’s key out of the ignition, handing it over to him with a big grin, and restarting the car with his own. Cas pulled back out onto the quiet highway and tugged Dean’s hand into his own, linking their fingers to rest on his knee. Dean let his eyes drop closed, as they cruised down the road, knowing his Baby was safe in his Valentine’s hands.

 

The End

 


End file.
